Which of the following is the smallest value?
- 0.1
- 0.2516
- 0.01
- 1.605
- 1.00
The correct answer and explanation is:
The smallest value is 0.01.
Explanation:
To determine the smallest value, we compare each number considering their decimal places:
- 0.1: This number has one decimal place, and its value is one-tenth (1/10), equal to 0.1.
- 0.2516: This number has four decimal places and is slightly more than one-quarter (2516/10000), equal to 0.2516.
- 0.01: This number has two decimal places and is one-hundredth (1/100), equal to 0.01.
- 1.605: This number has three decimal places, and it is greater than 1. Its value is 1.605.
- 1.00: This number is equivalent to 1 because the two zeros after the decimal point do not affect its value.
Step-by-Step Comparison:
- Comparing 0.1 and 0.01, 0.01 is smaller because 0.01 is one-hundredth, while 0.1 is one-tenth.
- Comparing 0.01 and 0.2516, 0.01 is smaller because 0.2516 is greater than one-tenth.
- Comparing 0.01 and 1.605, 0.01 is smaller because 1.605 is greater than 1.
- Comparing 0.01 and 1.00, 0.01 is smaller because 1.00 is equivalent to 1.
Conclusion:
The smallest value is 0.01, which is the only value less than all others in the list. It represents a very small fraction, one-hundredth, which is smaller than the fractions represented by the other numbers. Decimal places play a crucial role in determining size, with more decimal places typically indicating a finer division into smaller parts, provided the leading digits are smaller.